Some of you may know that we've had new neighbors for most of the summer.
Nick, Alexandra and Luke are students from Romania that came here to work for the summer.
An organization called CHI,
Cultural Homestay International, is how they got here. Apparently if you have work and can meet their qualifications, you can hire seasonal help through them.
It costs quite a lot of money for these kids to come to the USA and they're all interviewed thoroughly. They must speak english and they must also not appear to be a flight risk. Meaning, they must reassure CHI that they'll return to their country.
Well, considering the living arrangements and work environments most of them have to endure when they get here, there's now doubt they'll want to leave when their stay is over.
I haven't investigated this organization as thoroughly as I intend to, but I am starting a campaign to improve representation on our end. Apparently they run into all kinds of problems. Arriving in America for the first time.... coming from countries that understand the meaning of mass transit, they arrive here and suddenly find themselves stranded at an airport in the middle of nowhere. I don't understand why the employer can't arrange transportation or at least information about what options these kids have when they get here. Then there's the whole living arrangements. I haven't seen the house.... I haven't met the man who owns it, but from what I've been told, the place these kids are sent to here is a dump... it's filthy and it's being offered at a cost to the students. THIS is what we allow to represent our town.... our country. I say NO. Lets take these slumlords and sweatshopesque employers and either shut them down, replacing them with a respectable representation of our country OR ...... we could work with them and offer the students sort of a safe house environment.
Other towns officially welcome these kids. Showing them around town, answering their questions, being kind. No... here in Harpers Ferry we leave them to the mercy of the employer whip and the landlord scum. They stay because once they're here they have no choice..... it's a contract. They bond together with other students they've only met upon their arrival, because that's the only way they can emotionally survive the crap they have to deal with. Things have to change. I probably can't make a difference with the whole organization, but I KNOW I can make a difference here in my own town..... and DAMN IT... I will.
Good fortune smiled on these three... Nicolae, Lucian and Alexandra. Supposedly A call was made to my neighbor Donny to see if he could arrange to have these kids stay in the upstairs part of his house next door. It was basically empty and they would be temporary tenants.
I don't know all the technicalities involved, but one day they just started moving in. LOL... that took them all of 20 minutes. All they had was their luggage. So over the next two months, we had new neighbors. Of course Donny was there and is still and I hope he never leaves, but it was nice to have some new and very friendly faces at my kitchen window.
Some of you may not know my kitchen window. The old stone steps that run between our homes level off right outside my kitchen, making it the perfect place to stop and chat. Since I ALWAYS seem to be in the kitchen, I've had many conversations there. I've fed many people through that window too. It's one of those apple pie cooling windows. This is where I first met "The Romanians", as they were referred to by so many people. I preferred to call them by their names.... their Romanian names. I just didn't want to appear rude.
Anyhow.... long story short... I'm glad they lived next door this summer. Such nice, polite and intelligent kids. Very respectful and always appreciative. We didn't have them over as much as we would have liked to, but we always made them feel welcome and a part of our town. So much so that now they're a part of our lives. I'm sure you'll hear more about them all in the future.
I say future, because yesterday I took Nicolae to Dulles Airport. Lucian and Alexandra rode along to see him off. As we pulled away Nicolae had started to cry and damn-it, I must be hormonal, because so did I..... so did we all. I can't explain it, but sometimes people touch your life in a certain way and it can drag emotions from deep within you when those people leave. I'm not sure why we all met and when or if we'll ever meet again. but we met and know each other for a reason. Last night we had Lucian, Alexandra and Donny over for dinner. The "last supper" ... LOL.... Lucian would appreciate that given his catholic convictions. We got to visit one more time and gave them maps of DC and the subway system and Steve shared with them the newest
9/11 memorial at the pentagon. He had saved a newspaper article that showed the memorial and explained it in detail. Since Lucian and Alexandra didn't get to sight see while they were here, they're staying their last two days in DC. I'm sure they'll have a great time. This morning as the sun was turning our morning sky a fiery red, Lucian and Alexandra quietly left for the MARC Train. I'm so accustomed to just throwing my luggage down the steps and retrieving it from the street. These two could barely be heard and they were carrying some large, heavy luggage.
I told them goodbye and wished them the best one last time. Then they both stopped to say goodbye to Donny and I let them have their privacy. Donny had become more than a neighbor with them. He was their friend and likewise they were now his. It was a sad moment as they walked away and the light outside the window went out.
So now it's back to my usual routine. Catching three cats to carry to the vet today and deal with a puppy who after last nights little surprises apparently has diarrhea. It's difficult walking through the house now, because I had become so accustomed to having people nearby at any given hour of the day. I could often look out either my dining room or kitchen windows and have a friendly face say hello! I'm sure to some of you that would be annoying, but you just didn't know them!! Now I pass by and see the stone wall again, the empty porch chairs, the way the early light hits the house next door and it's fallen silent yet again. Shadows are all that dance across the bricks now. The laughter has been swallowed by the sound of rustling leaves racing up and down those abandoned stairs. From time to time I'm sure I'll think I hear them... someone?!?! Just like I heard Blazes heavy breath for months after he passed away, I'm sure I'll hear the "Romanians"!!
I was in the living room when I heard Donny leave for work. I didn't get to the window fast enough to ask him how he was doing, but I did see him hesitate as he passed by, head bowed, lost somewhere in deep thought.
This really has been a year of losses. I think I'm gonna talk to Donny about hanging something on that side of his house. Maybe some artwork or some weather safe photos. Maybe a bench is in order..... perhaps if the visitors to my kitchen window had a place to sit they wouldn't leave so soon. Time always heals the hollow feeling and I know that they'll write and they'll share their trip home, how much they miss it here, how happy they are to see their family and our lives will continue. The economy might be in a slump and they might be putting different shades of lipstick on that pig, trying to fool us, but I feel rich. Rich, because I have friends and family. Now I just need to focus on my home and figure out how to fill that empty window?
Other towns officially welcome these kids. Showing them around town, answering their questions, being kind. No... here in Harpers Ferry we leave them to the mercy of the employer whip and the landlord scum. They stay because once they're here they have no choice..... it's a contract. They bond together with other students they've only met upon their arrival, because that's the only way they can emotionally survive the crap they have to deal with. Things have to change. I probably can't make a difference with the whole organization, but I KNOW I can make a difference here in my own town..... and DAMN IT... I will.
Good fortune smiled on these three... Nicolae, Lucian and Alexandra. Supposedly A call was made to my neighbor Donny to see if he could arrange to have these kids stay in the upstairs part of his house next door. It was basically empty and they would be temporary tenants.
I don't know all the technicalities involved, but one day they just started moving in. LOL... that took them all of 20 minutes. All they had was their luggage. So over the next two months, we had new neighbors. Of course Donny was there and is still and I hope he never leaves, but it was nice to have some new and very friendly faces at my kitchen window.
Some of you may not know my kitchen window. The old stone steps that run between our homes level off right outside my kitchen, making it the perfect place to stop and chat. Since I ALWAYS seem to be in the kitchen, I've had many conversations there. I've fed many people through that window too. It's one of those apple pie cooling windows. This is where I first met "The Romanians", as they were referred to by so many people. I preferred to call them by their names.... their Romanian names. I just didn't want to appear rude.
Anyhow.... long story short... I'm glad they lived next door this summer. Such nice, polite and intelligent kids. Very respectful and always appreciative. We didn't have them over as much as we would have liked to, but we always made them feel welcome and a part of our town. So much so that now they're a part of our lives. I'm sure you'll hear more about them all in the future.
I say future, because yesterday I took Nicolae to Dulles Airport. Lucian and Alexandra rode along to see him off. As we pulled away Nicolae had started to cry and damn-it, I must be hormonal, because so did I..... so did we all. I can't explain it, but sometimes people touch your life in a certain way and it can drag emotions from deep within you when those people leave. I'm not sure why we all met and when or if we'll ever meet again. but we met and know each other for a reason. Last night we had Lucian, Alexandra and Donny over for dinner. The "last supper" ... LOL.... Lucian would appreciate that given his catholic convictions. We got to visit one more time and gave them maps of DC and the subway system and Steve shared with them the newest 9/11 memorial at the pentagon. He had saved a newspaper article that showed the memorial and explained it in detail. Since Lucian and Alexandra didn't get to sight see while they were here, they're staying their last two days in DC. I'm sure they'll have a great time. This morning as the sun was turning our morning sky a fiery red, Lucian and Alexandra quietly left for the MARC Train. I'm so accustomed to just throwing my luggage down the steps and retrieving it from the street. These two could barely be heard and they were carrying some large, heavy luggage.
I told them goodbye and wished them the best one last time. Then they both stopped to say goodbye to Donny and I let them have their privacy. Donny had become more than a neighbor with them. He was their friend and likewise they were now his. It was a sad moment as they walked away and the light outside the window went out.
So now it's back to my usual routine. Catching three cats to carry to the vet today and deal with a puppy who after last nights little surprises apparently has diarrhea. It's difficult walking through the house now, because I had become so accustomed to having people nearby at any given hour of the day. I could often look out either my dining room or kitchen windows and have a friendly face say hello! I'm sure to some of you that would be annoying, but you just didn't know them!! Now I pass by and see the stone wall again, the empty porch chairs, the way the early light hits the house next door and it's fallen silent yet again. Shadows are all that dance across the bricks now. The laughter has been swallowed by the sound of rustling leaves racing up and down those abandoned stairs. From time to time I'm sure I'll think I hear them... someone?!?! Just like I heard Blazes heavy breath for months after he passed away, I'm sure I'll hear the "Romanians"!!
I was in the living room when I heard Donny leave for work. I didn't get to the window fast enough to ask him how he was doing, but I did see him hesitate as he passed by, head bowed, lost somewhere in deep thought.
This really has been a year of losses. I think I'm gonna talk to Donny about hanging something on that side of his house. Maybe some artwork or some weather safe photos. Maybe a bench is in order..... perhaps if the visitors to my kitchen window had a place to sit they wouldn't leave so soon. Time always heals the hollow feeling and I know that they'll write and they'll share their trip home, how much they miss it here, how happy they are to see their family and our lives will continue. The economy might be in a slump and they might be putting different shades of lipstick on that pig, trying to fool us, but I feel rich. Rich, because I have friends and family. Now I just need to focus on my home and figure out how to fill that empty window?
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2 comments:
that was a great post, I had tears in my eyes... they were really great kids this year...
Donny and his guests are lucky to have such great neighbors, and bonus to have that great pie window. That's something you read about in the olde tyme story books, it's fun to see someone able to make it come to life for real, especially in this day and age when everything has become so automated.
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